


Her Braids

by queeniesye



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/F, Friendship, Love/Friendship, One Shot Collection, Post-Advent Children (Compilation of FFVII), Pre-Advent Children (Compilation of FFVII)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:35:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23252563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queeniesye/pseuds/queeniesye
Summary: "Following Marlene’s request, Tifa recounted Aerith’s way of braiding her hair and started imitating. Every twist and turn that Aerith made to her hair, as chronicled by her memory, came alive through the movement of her hands as she did Marlene’s"
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Aerith Gainsborough
Kudos: 21





	Her Braids

**Author's Note:**

> Written because I was wondering about how Marlene started braiding her hair. And I want to believe that the braiding of hair is a specific memory that Tifa may have about Aerith.

Over the horizon, orange beams have begun to spread, giving more light to the indigo sky of a new dusk. As time passed, the sun became more visible and glaring upon an industrialized city still groggy and struggling to awaken. Marks of life were soon perceived: signboards hung at storefronts switched from ‘close’ to ‘open’ by yawning merchants; from houses lining up the streets with windows left ajar, the sound of loud mothers and fathers yelling at their children to prepare for the day reverberated; trucks carrying materials imported from outside the city finally began moving to send deliveries to respective destinations; and the streets were filled once again with pedestrians. Somewhere in an inn, Tifa was stirred from a deep slumber by the morning noise. With her body still aching from battle fights of yesterday, she grunted in discomfort as she gradually lifted herself up to sit on the bed. In a daze, she looked around the room until it came to her realization that Aerith, who shared the room with her last night, was no longer occupying the bed next to hers.

_Where could she be?_ Tifa wondered. 

Upon leaving the room, Tifa caught a whiff of toasted bread from a room close to the inn’s entryway. When she decided to check, she found Cloud and the rest of the crew – except for Aerith, sitting quietly around a table, having breakfasts of tea or milk, and toasted bread with hazelnut, all types of fruits, and vegetable spreads. 

“Good morning,” Cloud greeted, before taking a bite out of his bread.

Tifa smiled and returned his greeting, “Morning.”

Vincent poured a cup of tea for her, and Barret offered some of his bread. Tifa received both with gratitude and spent several minutes having her breakfast with them.

“Have you seen Aerith?” she eventually asked, as she sipped her tea.  
From across the table, Cid nodded. “Yeah, this morning. She said she’ll be off somewhere doing _something that needs to be done_.” 

“Something that needs to be done?” Tifa repeated, confused. 

The crew was back in Midgar to recuperate after an entire day spent on taking care of their chocobos at a nearby chocobo farm. It was also Aerith who persuaded them all to return to Midgar for a while, without giving any specific reason as to why. 

_What is it that she really needed to do over here?_ Tifa questioned.

Seemingly answering to Tifa’s wonders, Yuffie clarified to the entire crew, “I think… she’s going to the church, in sector… 3? Oh wait, was it 5? Yeah, sector 5. That’s what she told me yesterday.”

“What business does she have in the church?” Cait Sith, who was sitting beside Nanaki could be heard asking. 

No one answered. Yet somehow, Tifa could guess. Finished with her breakfast, she excused herself to find Aerith. 

##  *******

One step into the church, and Tifa could already catch the smell of flowers coming from a patch of land near the altar. As she expected, Aerith was by the flowers, immersed in the task of pulling out weeds that have grown due to the little garden left unattended for quite a while. Watching her work made Tifa’s heart ached a little at the thought of how sad Aerith must have felt leaving these flowers behind. Tifa knew Aerith cherished these flowers by the meticulous way in which she cared for them.

Approaching Aerith, Tifa offered to assist, “Let me help you.”

Aerith’s figure jolted, noticeably startled by Tifa’s sudden presence. Nevertheless, she was quick to smile, pleased that a friend has offered a helping hand.

“Much appreciated!” 

Kneeling against the hard wooden floors of the church, Tifa began weeding. Working in the morning heat made the strenuous task of pulling out unwanted, yet deeply rooted plants to be quite a challenge. Her dolphin tail hair was also not making things easier! Tifa had to keep pushing her hair away as it fell in front of her, and its thickness made the heat more unbearable. 

In the midst of it all, Aerith rose to clean her hands with water in a basin she placed on one of the church benches. While scrubbing her hands, she voiced out a suggestion, “Tifa, let me tie your hair.”

Tifa paused. “You want to tie my hair?”

“It’s hard working with that hair, isn’t it? I’ll help tie it up. Just for a while, to make it easier for you.” 

The two soon found themselves sitting facing each other. Tifa watched as Aerith gently twisted and turned her jet black hair into braids. Aerith’s technique, and every movement that her fingers made were carved into Tifa’s memory.

On making the second twist, Aerith started telling her, “Ma taught me how to do it.”

“Elmyra did?”

Aerith nodded. “My hair had grown too long and I complained too much about it being too messy. Soooo she had enough and decided I should braid my hair!”

Aerith continued with her twists and turn, until she finally finished by tying the tail of the braid with Tifa’s rubber band. 

She paused and stared at Tifa for some time… until she broke into an elated giggle.

“What- What is it?” Tifa stammered.

“You look cute! It really suits you! Maybe you really should start braiding too from now on.”

Content with Aerith’s compliment but embarrassed, Tifa blushed and looked away, as Aerith who found her response amusing giggled away.

Time seemed to stand still then. 

##  *******

Fast forward to two years later… and Tifa now found herself sitting behind Marlene, gently combing her hair. For some reason, helping Marlene comb her hair reminded her of that day in the church. Marlene’s brown hair had grown past her shoulders and settled on her upper back. Unsure whether Marlene would like them tied or not, Tifa asked her what she should do. 

Marlene did not answer immediately. She was quiet for a while, but when she turned around, Tifa noticed her eyes darting towards the ribbon that Tifa had on her arm. 

“Can you tie my hair like sister Aerith’s?”

Following Marlene’s request, Tifa recounted Aerith’s way of braiding her hair and started imitating. 

Every twist and turn that Aerith made to her hair, as chronicled by her memory, came alive through the movement of her hands as she did Marlene’s… 

She could almost hear Aerith talking and giggling again, as though she was still there with them – with her.


End file.
